Ball



July 24, 1934. SNEARY 1,967,908

BALL

Original Filed Dec. 8, 1950 IN VEN TOR.

Patented July 24, 1934 UNITED STATES BALL Loy E. Sneary, Ada, Ohio Application December 8, 1930, Serial No. 500,777 Renewed January 3, 1934 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to practice balls and more particularly to a practice golf ball, but it will be understood that the same basic thought may be embodied in practice balls for other sports.

In practicing golf strokes, it is often desirable to be able to strike a ball as if to drive it the full distance which the particular club is intended to drive it but Without the possibility of the ball going that far. For this purpose, a light cotton or similar ball having a knitted or crocheted cover has been designed and placed on the market but that is found not to have life enough and, furthermore, it does not retain its form but becomes deformed so that it is of no value in practicing short rolling shots. Furthermore, because of its irregular form it does not fly straight on long shots. Also, it is too light to fly in such a way as to give any idea as to what an ordinary ball would do if hit in the same way.

It is therefore the purpose of my invention to provide a ball which is so constructed that it will have an abundance of life and will fly fast and straight for a short distance after being hit and will then drop quickly after having spent its force; to provide a ball which will have a sufficient amount of weight to be capable of being driven or thrown a short distance, accurately, but which will have so much air resistance that it will travel only a short distance until its force is spent, when it will quickly stop travelling; to provide a ball of the character indicated which will be durable and yet well adapted for the purpose for which intended; and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will hereafter appear and as are inherent in the construction disclosed herein.

My invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing and, while I have shown therein what is now considered the preferred embodiment of this invention, I desire the same to be understood as 45 illustrative only and not as limiting my invention.

In the drawing annexed hereto and forming a part hereof, Fig. 1 is an elevation of a practice ball, Fig. 2 is a transverse central section therethrough, Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary 50 section to show the attachment of the surface tufting to the cover, and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing another method of fastening the tufting.

In making this ball, a light resilient or non- 55 resilient center d, of suitable size, is chosen.

This should be as nearly spherical as it is convenient to get and about this is wound a resilient layer 0, preferably a layer of rubber band material or wool thread, in the manner in which 50 such is used in the making of golf balls or baseballs. This layer is denoted in Fig. 2 by the letter 0. About this latter is placed a cover b, the layer being preferably tough and flexible, such as leather. It is drawn tightly about the rubber layer 0 and stitched in place. A layer a of tufting material is fastened to the leather b, preferably before the leather is secured in place. In Fig. 3 the tufting material a is shown as secured to the cover I) by means of small Wire staples put through the leather and clinched in place, or by means of stitching. The tufting material is secured so close together that the strands cling to each other and do not readily spread apart thus retaining substantially radial position with relation to the core. After the tufting has been secured in place it is trimmed until the surface of the ball is smooth and as nearly spherical as it is convenient to get it, the outer surface being concentric with the core.

In Fig. 4 the tufting is shown as being stitched through the leather, either through holes made previous to the stitching or by the needle carrying the tufting material.

By having the strands of the tufting material close together and clinging to each other and hence in a radial position with relation to the core, great resiliency and quick snappy action results when the ball is struck, as by a golf club or bat or racquet.

As a substitute for the leather with tufting secured in place thereon, it may be found convenient to use tanned sheep skin with the wool attached thereto. It will of course be understood that if this is used the wool will have to be cut to the proper length after the cover is placed on the core.

The quick slowing up of the ball mentioned above is due to the action of the ends of the tufting strands.

The tufting is considered preferable, at the present time, to the use of the sheep skin cover described above.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

A practice golf ball having a cover comprising a layer of tough leather having a layer of wool yarn attached to its exterior face, the strands of the yarn passing completely through the leather and being retained thereby, said strands being so numerous and in such close juxtaposition that each strand is held in radial position by the adjacent strands.

LOY E. SNEARY. 

